I have Fruit Snacks in my Pocket

Since the time my oldest child had about eight teeth, I am not sure a single day has passed where my kids did not eat fruit snacks.

What is it about a pack of fruit snacks? Is it because they’re basically candy disguised as a “snack?” (Kind of like how someone decided cupcakes without icing – aka muffins – were a breakfast staple.)

I am the mom who buys a box of 48+ fruit snacks from Aldi, and it only lasts about a week and a half.  There is always at least one pack in my purse, in my kids’ lunch boxes, and usually some in the console of my car…

On any given day, I likely even have a pack or two in my pocket.

I don’t even try to buy the organic, no sugar, made-out-of-plant-roots kinds. Give me good ol’ Welch’s or Aldi-brand or WHATEVER IS ON SALE AND IN BULK and they’ll be in my grocery store cart every.single.weekend.

Judge me if you must. But I’ve decided that for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord and enjoy our fruit snacks.

As most mamas know, in the days leading up to birthing your first child, you will typically find yourself saying things like, “Oh, I will never…” or “I know I will always…”  And then that tiny human comes out of your body and all of the I WILL NEVER’s and I AM ALWAYS GOING TO’s are thrown out with the 817 daily dirty diapers.

Surviving. That’s what you’ll ALWAYS be doing. And you’ll also find yourself doing whatever works for you and your kids in your own home. Quickly realizing that looks a lot different than what you imagined, a lot different than what you planned on doing/not doing…

…A lot different than what your best friend does and a lot different than how your sister parents her children and a lot different than last year and last week and heck, a lot different than what you swore you’d do/never do two hours ago.

You’ll find your own rhythm to survive… and every now and then, your kids may even thrive. (And sometimes bribing empowering your kids to thrive comes at the price of fruit snacks.)

Treat after using the potty? Fruit snacks.
Treat for letting ME use the potty without you standing within a two-inch radius? Fruit snacks.
Scored your first goal in soccer? Fruit snacks.
Let me talk on the phone in peace? Fruit snacks.
PLEASE FOR THE LOVE stop screaming in the car?! Fruit snacks.
What can I put on the plate to balance out the lunch? Fruit snacks.

I have quickly learned that I will never be the crunchy, whole-foods-serving, only-organic-buying, made-from-scratch cooking, picked-from-our-very-own-backyard-garden kind of mama.

If you are a crunchy, whole-foods-serving, only-organic-buying, made-from-scratch cooking, picked-from-your-very-own-backyard-garden type of mama? You are my hero and get all my high fives.

I don’t think less of myself because I can’t keep up with your whole-grain ways… I think we probably even each other out in the wash. There is likely another area where I am kicking butt, and that area may not be your cup of all-natural tea.

As far as I’m concerned, you do you and I’ll do me and none of us will judge… and if you take all of us and add us all up in one long equation, we balance each other out and equate to the best, most perfect mom that ever existed.

So I’ll be me, and you be you – and you just let me know if you ever need a pack of fruit snacks.

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Jessie Peele
Jessie is a happy-hour-loving, cupcake-eating, running-obsessed, reality-tv-addicted single mama, currently living in Carrollton, GA. She was born and raised in Columbia, SC, attended Clemson University (Go Tigers!), and taught elementary school for about ten years in Winston Salem, NC. Life brought her to Carrollton in January of 2014, and after four years in Georgia she's still getting used to living in a small town. Jessie was a stay-at-home mama for 3.5 years, but when life took an unexpected turn, she became a divorced mama who found her way back to the classroom. With three kids in tow (Cameron Kate, 7, Everette, 4, and Brooks, 2), she is now a full-time elementary school teacher and a part-time skincare business owner via Rodan + Fields. In the nooks and crannies of her day, she loves running (bonus if it's WITHOUT the stroller!), binge-watching on Netflix, baking and eating anything sweet, drinking a good craft beer/vodka cocktail/cold margarita, and blogging about all things mama-hood on her blog Cupcakes & Running Shoes: http://cupcakesandrunningshoes.blogspot.com/.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Now that I see your background- raising 3 kids on your own- fruit snacks for all! You go girl! Best wishes!

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